He is not bad at learning. He is bad at being handed a device and told to figure it out. Abstract lessons bounce off. Tasks he actually wants to complete stick. The Technical Delegate pattern starts because no one ever taught him in a way that worked.
Practical Techniques
Start With a Task He Wants Done
Do not teach how smartphones work. Teach him how to video call his grandchildren. Real goals keep motivation alive through the learning curve. Abstract overviews do not. Pick something with an immediate payoff and start there.
Use What He Already Knows
Connect new technology to things he already understands. Say: “Think of email like a letter, but it arrives in seconds.” Or: “This folder works like the filing cabinet in your office.” A familiar frame makes a new skill feel less foreign. He already knows how filing cabinets work. Build from that.
Write It Down
Make a short instruction sheet for key tasks. Numbered steps. Plain words. Add a screenshot with the button circled if you can. Say: “Press the blue button at the bottom of the screen.” That works. “Access the menu interface” does not. Leave the sheet somewhere he can find it and practice on his own. See Creating Simplified Tech Guides for how to make one.
Why This Works
He learns by doing familiar things in new contexts. Connecting tech to what he already knows cuts the gap between new and foreign. Clear written instructions let him practice without calling you every time.
Respect the No
Some people choose not to use certain technology. That is a valid choice. Focus on skills that improve his life. Do not push adoption for its own sake.